Long Trail – Day 15

It was humid today. The air was sticky with moisture. It’s hard carrying 25 lbs. and hiking up mountains under such conditions. The descent from Bamforth was not difficult, but everyone was sore from yesterday’s hike. We started hiking at 6:00 am. The weather report was calling for where thunderstorms at 11:00. Chuck kept a close eye on the weather. After several hours his new trail name is radar. That’s the funny thing about names, they usually come from something unique or stupid that someone does: an excess of one item or a particularly funny moment. Of course you always know when someone gave themselves their own name when it’s particular masculine: ridge walker, lone wolf, etc.

The pain started to set in hiking up from US Rt. 2. I was exhausted from yesterday and took my time. Eventually, I decided just to hike out the 7 miles to beat the storms. I got to Buchanan at 12:00. Magic Mike and Radar talked it over and we decided to stop at 13 miles, rather than pushing up the mountain and getting stuck in a thunderstorm. It ended up not raining or storming all day. We did enjoy the time just resting in the woods. There’s something about making a fire, reading, and talking in the woods. We tend to Americanize everything: speed it up, finish the race, reach the goal. Out here, slowing down is perfectly acceptable.

As I write this the rain is gently beating against the tin roof of the shelter. Sleep will come soon.